AUBURN — Auburn University football identified some glaring holes on defense during spring practice, so coach Hugh Freeze and his staff went to work in April filling those holes as best they could.
The Tigers added three defensive transfers after A-Day — linemen Phillip Bridi (Indiana) and Isaiah Lakes (USC) and pass rusher Kieron Crawford (Arkansas State) — who are expected to be in the two-man rotation and could assume starting roles if they perform well in preseason practice in August.
With 38 scholarship defenders on the roster and likely done with their portal work, here's what the defensive depth looks like once fall camp gets underway:
Back Linebacker
- Jalen McLeod
- Kieron Crawford
- Amaris Williams
- Jamontae Waller
- Joseph Phillips
Jalen McLeod never missed a beat last season, totaling 48 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 12 games since transferring from Appalachian State. Freeze has often said McLeod plays too much and isn't always in good form, but the addition of Crawford and a trio of talented freshmen should improve that.
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Defensive tackle
- Gauge key
- Philip Bridie
- DJ Reed or Malik Brockton
Kansas transfer Gage Keyes, who committed to Auburn in December, has an advantage over Bridi, who spent the spring with the Hoosiers, in that he will be able to participate in spring practice. Either way, we expect to see a full rotation at both defensive tackle and nose tackle.
Nose tackle
- Isaiah Lakes
- Trill Carter
- Jason Jones or Bobby Jamison Travis
Lakes committed to USC in January after spending the first four seasons of his career at Texas A&M, but things apparently didn't work out with the Trojans, and the former four-star recruit from the 2020 class re-entered the portal in April and committed to the Tigers.
Defensive End
- Keldric Falk
- Jcaves Walker
- TJ Lindsay
With Mosiah Nasiri-Kite suffering a season-ending injury in 2023, Keldrick Faulk was thrust into a larger role as a true freshman. Faulk held up admirably, recording 35 tackles, one sack and one pass deflection, and is expected to have a big year in his second year.
Linebacker
- Eugene Assante
- DeMarcus Redick
- DJ Barber
After last season's breakout season, Eugene Assante opted to hold off on the NFL Draft for another year and return to Auburn for his final year of eligibility, and the roster behind him (DeMarcus Riddick and DJ Barber) is talented but young, so he'll need another productive season in 2024.
Linebacker
- Austin Keyes
- Durian Mausi
- Robert Woodyard Jr.
Austin Keyes missed four games last season with a thumb injury but was a valuable contributor in the eight games he was on the field next to Assanti. The third linebacker in the rotation is expected to be Dorian Mausi, a 2023 transfer from Duke who recorded 61 tackles.
Cornerback
- Kain Lee
- Antonio Caito
- JC Hart or Tyler Scott
Sophomore cornerback Kane Lee, who played behind DJ James and Nehemiah Pritchett last season, gained experience as a true freshman. Like Faulk, the expectations and hopes for Lee are pretty high for a player who has only been on campus for one year.
Cornerback
- Keionte Scott
- Jay Crawford
- Amon Lane Ganus
Keionte Scott played nickel last season but was moved to the outside for his third year with the Tigers, where he played in Auburn's loss to Maryland in the Music City Bowl.
nickel
- Champ Anthony
- Kensley Ruyder Faustin
With Scott on the borderline, the door is open for someone else to step up in the slot, and that person appears to be Champ Anthony. He spent one season in junior college before joining the Tigers ahead of the 2023 season. He played in every game last season.
safety
- Jaelin Thompson
- LaQuan Robinson or Terrance Love
- C.J. Johnson
Texas transfer Jaelin Thompson has played a lot of college football and that experience puts him at the top of the depths, and he had a solid performance on A-Day, recording three tackles and an impactful sack that forced the offense to settle for a field goal.
safety
- Caleb Wooden
- Sylvester Smith
- Caleb Harris
Caleb Wooden and Sylvester Smith are the most likely candidates to play alongside Thompson, but freshman Caleb Harris could also earn a spot in the rotation if he performs well in fall camp.
Special teams
K: Alex MacPherson
P: Oscar Chapman
LS: Reid Hughes (walk-on)
PR: Keionte Scott
KR: Malcolm Simmons | Bryce Cain
Alex McPherson is expected to be the starting kicker after not kicking all spring while dealing with a lingering hamstring injury. Oscar Chapman will be the starting punter and walk-on long snapper Reid Hughes is likely to be the third starting specialist.
Richard Silva is an Auburn University sports reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser. He can be reached by email at rsilva@gannett.com or on Twitter X (formerly Twitter) @rich_silva18.
